the kiss list, adrian pucey
𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓, 𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟐

chapter twenty-six
number 13: DUNCAN INGLEBEE

✧ ━━━ · ✦ · ━━━ ✧

CONSIDERING BIANCA HATED DETENTIONS FULL STOP, enduring one with not only Adrian Pucey but Malcolm Preece too, was a severely unfortunate situation to be thrown into on a Saturday afternoon.

Bianca met Adrian at the door of Professor McGonagall's office, and with a knock on the wood, and following permission to enter, Bianca braced herself. She was about as ready as she was ever going to be, in the light of the circumstances of having to face Malcolm for the first real-time since their Hogsmeade bunk-off.

The Gryffindor went in first, Adrian following closely behind.

The Transfiguration teacher was sat at her desk, with the boy just opposite, slightly slouched back in his chair, before sitting up a little straighter when the pair walked in and took their seats.

Malcolm sent a half-smirk, half-smile to Bianca as she sat down. She returned one, as the Professor cleared her throat.

"Thank you for being on time," she said, her arms folded onto the desk. "Mr. Inglebee will be with us shortly, I should hope."

And just like that, it was like someone slapped Bianca around the face. Or threw a cold glass of water over her head, and her robes became sloppy, and hair all ragged, and her mascara ran down her cheeks.

Bianca didn't have anything against Duncan Inglebee. It was the reverse that was the problem.

Number thirteen. Lucky number of course, so who better to take its place, than the Ravenclaw beater. Duncan Inglebee was by no means a bad guy, in fact, he was sweet, polite, hardworking, had his goals, slightly clingy, but that's not what's important. But Duncan Inglebee was rejected by his first love during his fourth year at Hogwarts. Slightly inconvenient how his first love, was Bianca Larsson.

It wasn't a particularly harsh rejection, just Duncan's first and therefore a real kick in the teeth, that had stuck with him for two years. Whether he was over it now, was unknown to Bianca, and yet, she didn't want to find out.

She had barely spoken to the boy since she told him she didn't want to "accompany him to Hogsmeade" and when she did, it was hardly sweet small talk. He wasn't the type to glare at her in the hallways, and Bianca highly doubts he was the kind of boy to talk crap about her behind her back, because it was, at the end of the day, two years ago. It would be rather pathetic if he still held a grudge.

Lucky number or not, he was still number thirteen. And maybe, forgetting about his Charms homework, and landing himself in detention, was an opportunity to reconnect and settle anything between them that was screaming at her in the face.

The Ravenclaw boy broke the deathly loud silence that had fallen between the head of Gryffindor house, the one girl, and two boys.

The door had creaked open, and the boy slid in, followed by the Professor's greeting and settling of chairs.

"Right. Now you're all here, I can tell you what you will all be doing this afternoon." Professor McGonagall's fingers intertwined, and Malcolm shifted in his chair. Bianca was watching all three boys via her peripheral vision; her mind wandering, just like her eyes.

"In a minute I will be taking you down to the Trophy Room, and there you will be polishing the entire contents between the four of you. Magic is not permitted, and so I ask you to hand over your wands now."

Tediously, the four students pulled out their wands from the insides of their robes, and one by one deposited them onto the table in front of the professor; Adrian's hand knocking against Bianca's.

"Thank you. Now, if you please." Professor McGonagall rose from her chair and gestured to the door.

Without the groaning and grunting and complaining that they all wanted to emit, the four of them shuffled out of the door, and formed a line behind the Professor, once she too exited her office.

"Follow me," the woman smiled half-heartedly. She swiveled on her feet, before heading down the steps, as the students followed behind, their feet scuffing against the floor.

The journey there was deathly silent. The raucous kind of silence. The silence that held tensions that were so rambunctious, that it could wake the dead.

Bianca had hardly looked up. Not even to find her footing as she fumbled down the steps, the Professor marching towards the door of the Trophy Room.

"Here we are." Professor McGonagall stood beside the door as the four of them straggled in one after the other; Bianca finally lifting her eye line. "You have as long as it will take you. Supplies are in the cupboard. I'd advise you not to talk, otherwise, you will be here for longer than you wish." she pointed to a splinting, wooden cupboard, that could do with some dusting itself.

"That is all." the Transfiguration professor left the room, pulling the doors closed behind her, followed by the clanging of the receding footsteps that she left behind.

Now minus the Professor, the absence of sound was killing each of them slowly. It was as if the awkwardness was kicking them all in the stomach.

Adrian was rocking back and forth, onto his heels and then onto the balls of his feet like he did when he was waiting for something to happen.

Malcolm was tapping his hand against his thigh, and now and then running his fingers through his hair.

Duncan was standing as still as the trophies that were collecting dust on the glass shelves.

And Bianca was picking at her fingernails, quickening her pace with every inching second.

"Why don't we split the room in half?" Bianca muttered, letting out a deep breath along with her words, that she had bottled up in the period of no-talking. She cut the harsh muteness in two with her suggestion.

Malcolm's head darted to her figure, with the sound of her voice. Duncan had yet to move; he felt like he was stuck in glue, and the upper half of his body was engineered like a robot. And Adrian was now clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"Two take one side, two take the other?" Bianca said, lifting one shoulder, then glancing at each of the boys.

Adrian opened his mouth, "Me and you could take the right side-"

"Bianca and I can do the left-" the same time Malcolm did.

The Gryffindor was stuck in a triangle of boys talking over the other when Adrian and Malcolm offered both to polish the same section as her.

This time, the silence that followed was deafening. Even Duncan had managed to turn around slowly.

The Hufflepuff and Slytherin stumbled to find words to say but were stuck on "erm's" and "uh's", as their eyes darted from each other to the stranded girl in between them.

"Duncan!" Bianca broke the unsure hums with a beaming, put-on smile, as she looked up at the Ravenclaw. "Why don't you and I start polishing the right. Just over there?" she pointed to a structured area, built up with glass panels and shining awards. The boy nodded dubiously in response.

Bianca internally thanked him for agreeing. She couldn't deal with Adrian, and she certainly wasn't ready to face Malcolm. Duncan was the next best option.

"I'll go get the supplies."

Adrian Pucey and Malcolm Preece weren't exactly "best buds". Playing on opposing teams, and being in love with the same girl weren't exactly the best foundations for a trusting and promising friendship.

Polishing a room, replete with dust and grime for what felt like hours of labour, was not a good bond-building activity.

Even Bianca and Duncan had yet to mutter a single word to the other, and after an hour of straight cleaning, it felt about time Bianca had a go.

She placed down a now glistening bronze trophy back onto the shelf, and, with slight uncertainty, wandered over to the Ravenclaw, acting as casual about it, as she could. "How have you been, Duncan?" she asked, with a wobbly smile.

The boy stared at his reflection in the golden goblet he was holding, his teeth gritted a little. He so hoped she wouldn't talk to him. "Alright. You?"

Bianca nodded her head enthusiastically, trying not to go "over the top" as such, "Yeah, not bad thanks." there was a pause, where Bianca hoped Duncan would continue their conversation.

He did not.

"Enjoying school?" she asked, casually strolling over to the next cup that needed cleaning.

The boy shrugged very blandly, "Boring." he said flatly.

"Can be, can't it?" she inclined her head as she tried to relate when in actual fact, she had yet to find boredom in academic life.

Another pause.

Bianca now knew she'd have to be the one to put in the effort. "How's Quidditch going?"

"Haven't won the Inter-house Cup for over a century, so I'll leave you to figure that one out." he smiled sarcastically.

Bianca let out a laugh, assuming what he had said was his version of a joke.

The boy's expression did not form one of amusement, but he instead inclined his head and narrowed his eyes at the Gryffindor.

He was not joking. Ravenclaw had not won the Quidditch Inter-house cup in over one hundred years. Bianca was not meant to laugh.

Bianca's grin faded to a dim look, "Oh," she mumbled, before rotating and walking away to avoid any other stares. She was then met with at least another four dozen trophies, rusted and dirty, waiting to be polished. She sighed at the workload. Best to think about something else.

On the other side of the room, Adrian was constantly averting his glares to Malcolm and then to Bianca and even occasionally to Duncan.

There was always a reason why Adrian had decided to put Duncan on the Kiss List. Besides the fact that he was good-looking, popular, and had a solid position in the school's hierarchy, Adrian knew of his and Bianca's history - if you could even call it that.

Adrian saw Duncan as possibly the hardest Kiss on there. Adrian knew that he himself would be pretty crushed if Bianca had rejected him.

But at least Duncan had the guts to ask Bianca out in the first place. Adrian had to make a Kiss List just to even get close to that.

Trophy by trophy, and duster by duster, the detention was done. Finally, the awkward looks, moments of roaring silence, and the odd clankings of an award falling on the stone floor, causing an even more painful stillness were over.

Bianca got out of there the first chance she could.

But in conclusion of the eventful polishing session: Adrian Pucey still managed to get on Bianca's nerves; polishing is not that bad if you distract yourself with upcoming school dances; and Barbados is now out of the picture, and not because she doesn't want to go anymore, but because she doesn't really need to.

If Malcolm was planning on asking Bianca to the ball, he was yet to do so. And despite not really having the chance, that was a win in itself because she doesn't quite have to deal with that just yet.

After escaping the Trophy room, and collecting her wand from Professor McGonagall's office, Bianca headed for nowhere. No particular destination. Although, after concluding that there was nowhere else she needed to be, Bianca headed for the Gryffindor common room.

A body walked up to her side, briefly pushing into her, and brushing up against her arm.

Bianca subtly rolled her eyes, "Why do you follow me everywhere?"

"I don't," Adrian said.

"You do." her eyebrows knitted together, as she looked at him. "You're like this parasite that I can't shake."

Adrian scoffed, "A parasite? Wow. You really do have a way with words. What a lovely simile to use in the context of a friend."

Bianca gave him a look of blasé, "Don't push it, Pucey."

Adrian shook it off, and they parted ways, as he turned off at a corner, whilst she remained forward, "Where are you off to?" she called out; his back still facing her.

"Apparently, anywhere you're not." Adrian turned around, as he continued his journey, now rearward. "Wouldn't want to give off the impression of an invasive parasite, now would I, Bianca?" he smirked. Bianca raised her eyebrows, waiting for an answer with actual use. "Quidditch practice. Wanna watch?"

Bianca narrowed her eyes, "Why would I wanna," she trailed off, wondering what else she would be doing for the remainder of her Saturday. There wasn't much she could do. Maybe Quidditch has the potential to be somewhat interesting? At least it was a pastime. "Yeah alright," she murmured glumly.

Adrian continued forward, a smirk plastered on his face. As Bianca went to follow him, Duncan strolled past from out of the trophy room - Malcolm already in the Hufflepuff basement.

It was safe to say that Duncan didn't love Bianca. At least not anymore. He had felt humiliated by her rejection, which leads to a petty dislike, that she had never repaired.

The polishing of awards not long earlier, was their first solid interaction in a year or two and it was clear that it wasn't all rainbows and sunshine and rejoicing whilst holding hands. And yet, Bianca couldn't quite give up just yet, so why not have another go now?

"Um, I'll see you from the stands," she called out to the Slytherin boy just ahead. His head whipped in her direction, "I just need to deal with something real quick," she combed the hair resting on her neck, as he nodded tenderly.

As Adrian ambled to the locker room, Bianca caught up to the Ravenclaw, who was now heading for his tower.

"Hey, Duncan." she smiled, resting her hand on his back, as she walked up to his side.

The boy looked down to the girl and met her eyes, startled by her physical contact, "Hi?" he said, in a tone that was more of a question, than a greeting.

"How are you?" Bianca kept up to his now slowed down speed, as they made it to a staircase. She tucked some hair behind her ear.

Duncan's expression molded to one that clearly cautious of her intentions, "The same I was the first time you asked?"

Bianca tried to chuckle as naturally as possible, but it came out sounding as though she was out of breath from the few steps that they had taken. "Cool." an uncomfortable silence collapsed between them. One that was broken momentarily by the echo of their footsteps on the stone. "Did you maybe want to hang out later? Catch up?" Bianca splurted out.

Duncan didn't look at her, "Not particularly."

Bianca nodded her head once and her whole body ended up rocking slightly, "Oh okay. It was just a thought. We just haven't talked in a while."

"I wonder why that is." the boy smiled sarcastically, before quickening his pace and taking the lead, disappearing up the steps.

Bianca read the room. She didn't follow him.

Once the boy was out of sight, Bianca kicked the ground, "Fuck." she muttered, concealed behind an exasperated breath.

It was now even clearer than before that Duncan Inglebee sure does hold a grudge. A firm grudge, that will not budge, however hard she tried.

With a stinging wind and silver clouds, a White Christmas was well on its way. That didn't change the fact that sitting alone in the Quidditch stands was rather depressing, and unpleasant. It was a situation that came with a mood that made her wonder why she was where she was.

The grey sky couldn't be more mundane. It was so bleak, and discouraging, and dull that, who cared if December had now arrived?

It also didn't matter how Bianca thought for once in her life that Quidditch might actually be quite amusing to watch, because it didn't distract her from the fact that there was no way Duncan Inglebee would ever kiss her. He just sounded so are-you-serious? And not in the way that was pleasantly surprised by her invite.

There were of course plus sides to her dilemma. Kissing Duncan would have meant that a boy, whose heart was broken by the first girl he's ever loved, was used by that same girl, just so she could cross him off of a list that was created by a different boy, who just so happened to also be madly in love with her. That would have been just wrong on every level.

Throughout the thirty minutes that she had been watching from the almost empty stands, Adrian had constantly been looking back at Bianca, wondering what she was thinking. Hoping that he was doing the best he could do out on the field, which, in his professional opinion - if one would let him toot his own horn - Adrian liked to believe that he was playing rather well, even though it was only a practice.

After a while of watching, and Bianca honestly admiring his flawless efforts on a broom, Adrian flew down beside her, resting his broom up against the steps, and taking a swig from his bottle, for a much-needed break with the rest of the team.

"Surely Quidditch isn't that demanding?" Bianca spoke up, as she followed the whizzing specks of green against the blue canvas, scoffing at his broken pants for air, and the stench of sweat.

"Oh yeah?" Adrian laughed as if she were joking. "Well then, I'd like to see you do what I just did."

"That's not necessary," she said, nonchalantly, earning a scoff of pure amusement. To Adrian, Bianca clearly knew nothing. "All I'm saying is, is that, surely flying on a broom won't cost you that much tiredness. It's not like your running around. You're basically sitting for the duration of a match just on a stick, instead of a chair."

"Because one training session with Oliver Wood makes you a skilled professional and gives you authority to share your "qualified" opinion doesn't it Bianca?" Adrian smirked.

"That and it's basic biology." she shrugged casually. "Quidditch literally can't make you out of breath. So, in conclusion, you're probably just unfit." she grimaced at his sloppy hair, and face that was glinting with sweat.

"You and I both know that's not true," Adrian simpered and winked in her direction, and the girl rolled her eyes.

"What landed you in detention anyway?"

"Set off a Dungbomb in the corridor," Adrian shrugged, taking another sip from his bottle, and he faced the pitch.

"Please don't let the twins be an influence on you," Bianca said, letting out a subtle sigh, her shoulders drooping.

Adrian stifled a laugh, "And would that be such a problem if they were?"

Bianca inclined her legs towards Adrian; the boy following and facing inwards too. "Yes. One hundred percent yes. You're annoying as it is. There's no need for petty pranks to solidify your irritating personality. Besides, you'd change their dynamic."

"Change their dynamic?" Adrian repeated. "Right. I'll steer away from pranks then." he laughed.

"Why'd you do it in the first place?" Bianca asked. "You know, dropping it?"

Adrian couldn't tell her the real reason. That'd be weird. Especially since it currently felt as though his plan had worked, and that "mess of a relationship" was well on its way to returning to its frantic self.

"Thought it'd be a laugh, honestly." Adrian shrugged. That wasn't a complete lie. It was kind of fun while it lasted.

"See! This is what I mean!" Bianca chuckled. "I've had first-hand experience from a Weasley Dungbomb and they're not all fun and games. My hair smelt like dog feces for days!" Bianca beamed, pleasantly surprised to find herself laughing, not only at the thought of canine shit but in the company of Adrian Pucey.

Adrian had never felt so normal. Normal in the sense that it felt like this is how it's supposed to feel when with a friend. It was natural. Natural and normal because he was a teenage wizard at a magic school with someone who he had been so infatuated with since he was eleven years old and because this was the first time that it felt as though they were in sync. So abnormal, and yet so perfectly normal.

With that connection that he felt, that he assumed Bianca felt the exact same, Adrian leaned in, tilting his head to fit with her's.

The laughing stopped, and his smile faded when she leaned back and her own broad glowing grin had disappeared.

Her eyes now wide, Bianca stared at the boy, who hastily sat up straighter.

"What was that?" Bianca asked tentatively.

"Nothing. That was nothing. I don't know-" Adrian spoke rapidly, hoping his tongue would find the right words that didn't make him look like a fool. "I didn't mean to! I'm sorry, I-" he ended with before she cut in.

"It's okay." Bianca shook her head, waiting for him to calm down. "Just forget about it. Don't worry." she turned back to face the pitch and Adrian knew she couldn't dare look at him.

Yeah, that dynamic? Adrian felt as though he had scrunched it into a ball, and flushed it down the toilet in one quick motion.

"You should probably get back in the air. Flint's glaring at you." Bianca pointed to the Slytherin captain hesitantly. Marcus was drifting in the air, looking in the pair's direction. Adrian knew that he would endure a lovely conversation with his team when the practice was all over. "Lovely" meaning humiliating.

Adrian paused, in a panicked way, "Right. Yeah. You're right." he said sheepishly, before setting down his bottle, and hurriedly picking up his broom. He mounted the stick, and zoomed away from the Gryffindor the second he pushed off from the ground.

The cold was now getting to Bianca. The breeze was swerving in and out of her robe and crawling over her skin, pinching at it, as the figures on brooms flashed here and there. She was never really focusing on any of them because it really was cold.

The temperature was of course distracting her, but Bianca's mind was elsewhere. Everywhere else but the Quidditch pitch. Duncan was never going to kiss her. Adrian tried to kiss her. And Malcolm had kissed her. It was all going rather wrong. She felt like she was out of control. Had she led Adrian on? She knew kissing Malcolm was morally wrong. And she hadn't a clue what to do about Duncan.

What to do about Duncan. What could she do about Duncan? He still held a grudge. He once wanted to kiss her, but he sure didn't want to now. Had she failed? Already? Maybe she had become too in over her head that her unorganized self had fucked up in every possible way? Adrian wouldn't know, right? Despite it defeating the point of the Kiss List, she might have to fake it just this once.

Oh, how Bianca hated to cheat.

But then again, what could she do about Duncan?

Duncan Inglebee = fail.

A mug of hot chocolate might do. The warm concoction of chocolate and sugar might clear her head.

Adrian spotted the girl shuffling around at the stands, looking like she was so very ready to leave. And honestly, he would understand why.

Not wanting her to walk away so easily, the boy flew over to the now standing Gryffindor, ignoring the few miffed yells from his team, just as she was turning to the stepped walkway.

He hovered in the air just beside her and the steps, and she glanced up in his direction, "You bored already?"

Bianca exhaled deeply, with a weak shrug, trying not to come across as awkward as she felt, "Nope. Just cold. I'm gonna go and get a hot chocolate from the kitchens." she feebly pointed in the direction of the pitch's entrance.

Adrian nodded and watched as she descended the stairs, her hand running along the railings until she was out of sight.

Adrian wondered whether that meant if she was coming back or not.

Maybe she was uncomfortable? And left because she hated his guts and she was creeped out that he read the situation so very wrong and he was a complete weirdo that she needed to get away from? That was probably it. Adrian noticed that she seemed rather jittery immediately after he leaned in and she leaned the other way.

But surely she was just getting a hot drink to warm her up because it was so cold out here? Why else? Her bag was sat in the same place where she once was. And no goodbye? Or even a compliment on how well he was doing. Adrian knew who he was talking about, but even she might go out of her way to tell him he was doing good. And even she couldn't leave and not say goodbye.

Maybe Bianca had forgotten about the attempted kiss and really meant it when she told him to forget about it because she didn't care that much? She had joked with him directly afterward?

So he was right. Bianca was coming back. To watch him play Quidditch. In the cold. On her own. Even after he tried to kiss her, and she didn't kiss him in response. Had he done that six months ago, he would have gotten a black eye and a kick where it hurts.

He made a mistake. He didn't care that she basically rejected him because Adrian was rather liking this relationship development. He was rather liking it a lot.